ComReg Consumer Panel

mike65

TELECOMS watchdog ComReg is to establish a Consumer Advisory Panel which will provide independent advice to the regulator on a range of user issues that arise within the communications industry.

The panel will be named by the end of March, and is expected to include representatives of different consumer profiles, including business and residential needs, and geographic diversity.

ComReg commissioner Mike Byrne said yesterday that ComReg wants to develop its understanding of consumer concerns in the telecoms industry.

"While ComReg has within its own resources the ability to identify consumer needs, a consumer panel will add to ComReg's knowledge of current and emerging consumer issues," he said. "The 2002 Communications Regulation Act provides that in exercising its functions, one of ComReg's functions is to promote the interests of users within the community in relation to the use of electronic communications networks and services, in other words to add voice to the 'needs' of the consumer."

Is IOFFL going to get a berth on this panel?

Mike.

damien

I eagerly await their phone call.

eircomtribunal

"While ComReg has within its own resources the ability to identify consumer needs,

one simply has to admire the ingrained arrogance of those guys.
P.

dahamsta

Has there been a "consulation period" on this at all? Has a notice been sent out inviting expressions of interest? Or are they just going to conveniently handpick members? If they are in fact taking the unprecedented step of skipping an opportunity for a consultation, should the staff be consulting their union? One skipped consultation could lead to another, and another, and then what will all those poor unfortunate, highly-paid university graduates do? Won't someone think of the children, Tabitha and Farquar!?

adam

damien

Just to keep everyone up to date on this matter. ComReg have refused to allow us on the panel and their reasoning is that since we repsond to consultations and attended one meeting with them there is no need for us to take part.

We will be making a formal announcement in regards to this towards the end of the week once the media kerfuffle with OECD Report calms down.

jwt

We will be making a formal announcement in regards to this towards the end of the week once the media kerfuffle with OECD Report calms down.

And once we have consulted with both DCMNR and legal counsel.

The DCMNR as a matter of courtesy, legal as a matter of urgency.

John

Sponge Bob

Did they refuse in writing ?

jwt

Yes they have, but we'll leave it there for the moment pending developments

John

damien

We're going to keep schtum til the end of the week about this now.

De Rebel

damien.m wrote:

ComReg have refused to allow us on the panel

That is a real disappointment. We will have to wait for ComReg's announcement of the membership of the panel to understand the real ramifications of this decision. As Peter points out, that choice quote "While ComReg has within its own resources the ability to identify consumer needs.. " has all the humility and empathy of DeValera gazing into his heart to understand the needs of the oirish peasantry.

We had all hoped that the appointment of Goggin to the chair of Comreg would signal a fresh approach and a new dawn..... Alas; "Le plus ca change le plus ca le meme chose"

It appears that we are close to answering a question that was asked last year - ComReg, part of the problem or part of the solution?

SkepticOne

De Rebel wrote:

It appears that we are close to answering a question that was asked last year - ComReg, part of the problem or part of the solution?

They are like a dead pig in a lane way. Until someone drags it away you just have to work around it.

bealtine

SkepticOne wrote:

They are like a dead pig in a lane way. Until someone drags it away you just have to work around it.

And with all the "consumer friendly" empathy of said "dead pig".

They should be abolished.

damien

ComReg announced the Consumer Panel:

The Consumer Panel will add to ComReg’s expertise in relation to emerging
consumer issues. The panel will have the following remit:

• To provide independent advice to ComReg on the diverse range of
consumer issues that arise in the communications industry;
• To provide assessments on how ComReg’s activities are impacting on
consumers;
• To inform ComReg of views and needs of different groups such as
residential, small to medium enterprises and large businesses, and people
with disabilities;
• To make recommendations and suggestions to ComReg on current
consumer concerns;
• To advise ComReg on consumer interests in the markets regulated by
ComReg.

The Consumer Advisory Panel will meet three times per year. The external
members of the Group are:

Mr. Ciaran Close Intel Ireland Ltd;
Mr. Gerry Finn Border, Midland and Western Regional Assembly;
Mr. Dermott Jewell Consumers’ Association of Ireland;
Ms. Angela Kerins National Disability Authority;
Mr. Sean Murphy Chambers of Commerce of Ireland;
Ms. Ursula O’Sullivan Health Services Executive - Southern Area

EDIT: Link: http://www.comreg.ie/whats_new/default.asp?ctype=5&nid=101995

cgarvey

ok so CCI for business, and CAI for homes.. but wtf are the others doing there? .. actually I'll take the NDA as well, but Health Services???? Intel??? Why not draw on the already well established representitive bodies. For instance IoffL!! ISME, IBEC type people for further business representation .. not someone from one company (Intel). And sweet jesus save us if we're to listen to the advice of someone in the health services executive.

So we have half a chance of anyone on that panel being representative of consumers. Hoooraaaay

Edit: AND I got no mail about that release (I have registered interest in all their categories).

jbkenn

cgarvey wrote:

ok so CCI for business, and CAI for homes.. but wtf are the others doing there? .. actually I'll take the NDA as well, but Health Services???? Intel??? Why not draw on the already well established representitive bodies. For instance IoffL!! ISME, IBEC type people for further business representation .. not someone from one company (Intel). And sweet jesus save us if we're to listen to the advice of someone in the health services executive.

So we have half a chance of anyone on that panel being representative of consumers. Hoooraaaay

Edit: AND I got no mail about that release (I have registered interest in all their categories).

Very simply guys, none of these people will ever give Comreg any grief.

jbkenn

swoofer

which is the reason they were picked in the first place.

Just think if the WHICH consumers association picked members with vested interests how the association would look.

I am returing from the UK and the more I see of goings on here they more I think bodies like COMREG think we joe soaps are a load of thickos.

I ask you a rep from INTEL on a body supposedly looking at the consumers point of view in relation to using BB, as the say " Your having a laugh!"

gbcullen

Mr_Man

that many of these quangos are staffed with people who are owed a favour for work done in the past or to curry favour for the future. No doubt there will be nice biccies to eat as well as a suitably generous expense package on offer to these kind souls for representing the 'consumers' of Ireland.

M.

SkepticOne

cgarvey wrote:

IBEC type people for further business representation .. not someone from one company (Intel).

Probably good that IBEC is not on it due to the heavy influence of a certain monopolist within that body.

eircomtribunal

I am not disagreeing with what is said above. But still: wait a moment:

These individuals may not be as easy on ComReg as one might think.
For example – and I am of course only speculating wildly here:

Ciaran Close, Intel's Wimax manager (see his presentation here(pdf), is not likely to favour the incumbent's position and has perhaps personally sound ideas about Ireland's Telecom/Broadband situation? Anybody to contact him?

Gerry Finn from the BMW has a lot of grief with the digital divide which was not least to a great extent caused by a certain regulatory body..

Dermott Jewell should know some things. His contributions at the Oireachtas Committee hearing were not bad, as far as I remember.

Angela Kerins, does anybody know about her? I would not dismiss anybody prematurely.

Sean Murphy – wasn't he the one who suggested to hand over a load of money to Eircom to sort things out? (Something that McRedmond is still hinting at in all his utterings.)

Ursula O’Sullivan. Health Service exe. If all the GP's in her region who need broadband now and have difficulties getting it (and many still being tricked into staying with "net subscription" based dial-up and ISDN and high monthly costs) told her about their plight, then she might as well have some grief with the current situation...

P.

De Rebel

damien.m wrote:

ComReg announced the Consumer Panel:
The Consumer Advisory Panel will meet three times per year. The external members of the Group are:

Hmmm, that one word says/implies a lot. That there are external members of the group, would strongly suggest that there are also internal members of the group. One wonders who the internal members are, and how many they are....